Of the many situations where articles should and can be tracked to ensure proper performance, patient therapy is one that can have dire consequences if a mistake is made. Patient therapy depends upon a series of processes linking a pharmaceutical or treatment to a patient. A serious risk to patients is human error, which can result in administering a wrong drug, dose or treatment. Such errors often result from “lapse” or “slip” mistakes in which details of a patient and/or pharmaceutical are overlooked or mistaken.
To reduce the risk of human error, barcode technology has been integrated into hospital systems. Barcode technology, already ubiquitous in the retail sector, is a widely used, stable, inexpensive means of machine-readable identification. The goal is to make a patient's medical treatment as accurate and efficient as reasonably possible.
Hospital barcode technology typically includes labeling pharmaceuticals, labeling patients (e.g., labeling each patient's wristband), using a computer system to associate prescribed pharmaceuticals with a patient, using a barcode scanner communicatively coupled to the computer system to confirm that a particular dose of a particular pharmaceutical has been prescribed to a patient before the dose of pharmaceutical is administered to the patient. Patients are given wristbands with barcode and legible identification. Pharmacies and/or drug manufacturers apply bar code technology to individual dose medication packaging. A handheld or portable device is used to perform a bedside check by capturing barcoded patient identification from the patient's wristband and barcoded information on the pharmaceutical. An interface is provided between the bedside handheld device and the hospital network. The interface may comprise a wireless communication system, either using an existing 802.11 network or using a dedicated wireless installation. In other systems, the handheld device may intermittently link (e.g., be placed in a “cradle”) to transfer information via cable to the hospital network. The system may also include computerized physician order entry (POE) to provide a more structured, legible, and traceable communication between physicians, pharmacists, nurses and other hospital staff.
Problems arise when conventional barcodes are used because wristbands can become blurred and faded and be difficult to position properly for correctly reading a wide barcode. A barcode label can easily be creased or otherwise distorted when applied. Also barcode interrogation of a wristband requires “two hands”—one to hold and position the band and one to hold the reader. Barcodes on medications may be confusing because each item may contain multiple different barcodes, including those that were relevant for earlier steps in the production process, but are a distraction for the bedside check.
Other problems include system errors. For example, network communication may fail due to a weak signal, interference, a malfunctioning handheld device or access point or configuration errors. In embodiments where the handheld device must be connected to the hospital computer system, uploading problems may occur due to hardware and configuration problems. Additionally, medical staff may neglect or delay the uploading process.
Other problems relate to line of sight limitations. Barcode scanning works only when a barcode and scanner are in optical “line of sight” communication. If the barcode is concealed or not within sight of the scanner, communication is inhibited.
What is needed is an article management system that uses compact, reliable, adaptable modules that provide a cost effective alternative to conventional printed barcodes. Preferably, the system is programmable, capable of detecting the presence of a conventional laser barcode scanner and capable of communicating information in a form readable by the detected conventional laser barcode scanner. The alternative system is also preferably compatible with network communication, allowing real-time monitoring and updating. Additionally, the alternative system is preferably capable of providing an alternative means of communication that does not require a line of sight. The invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems and solving one or more of the needs as set forth above.